Scaffold.



A. STELZER.

SCAFFOLD.

APPLICATION FILED MAY3.1915.

Patented J an. 18,

THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH cm, WASHINGTON, D. C.

7 AUGUST srnrznn, or sr nours, MIssoUnr. 1

7 Mesa scArroLn."

To (ZZZ whom may concern Be it known that I, AUGUST STELZE a cit-izenof the United States, residing vat the city of St. Louis, Missouri, have-invented a. neWI and useful Scafiold, of Which the following is aspecification. This invention relates to scaflolds. g Anobject of'thelinvention is to provide an improved scaiiold composed; of one, or more scaffold units, and improved manipue f lative mechanism in. connection with. the scafiold for winding and unwinding the supp'orting rope's so that the scaffold maybe conveniently raised or lowered by'the person upon the, scaffold.

Another object is to'provide improved scaii'old composed of a number of: detachable sectionshaving improved separable connectmg devices whereby the sections may be'conveniently assembled or detached, 1n cmb1 nation with mechanism for raising and I lowering thescatfold and comprising shafts revolubly supported belowv the scaffold sections and manipulative mechanism :for operating said shafts concurrently or mde-' pendently as desired' ,Various other objeetswillappear from the following description, without the necessityfof specific mention thereof, so that in mentioning some of the objects. of the .in

vention I do not limit myself, but I intend to include within the scope of the appended claims all novel subject matter in the. iii-fvention. I p 7 c a In the accompanyingidrawings in which Ihave illustrated a preferred embodiment of the invention Figure 1 is a" plan .view.

Fig. 2' is a side elevation. Fig. 3 is an en-- larged detailed view illustrating apart of the rope winding mechanism. Figeisa vertical section illustrating apart of the rope winding mechanism. Fig. 5 is a detail view illustrating the, operating connections for the rope winding mechanism. Fig. dis a view further illustrating the] operating connections. Fig. 7, also illustrates details of the operating connections. IFig. 8 is a I view illustrating the'coupling by which the units of the operating shafts are connected.

9 isa detailview illustrating a part of the bracing, struts :bywhich the tensioning devices of the scaffold are supported. Fig. 10 is a detail sectional view illustrating the connection between the struts and the scat-o fold. Figscll and 12are detail views of the connecting devicesby which the several Y Specification of Letters Patent. .Pateflte Application filed May 3, 1915. s ri i vo. 25,593}.

units of the scafi'old are united, jFig. '13 is a plan view of one of the guide devices for;

the supporting ropes orwires Fig. 14: is a detail sectional iew illustrating the strucdJa-pnll v i 6O ture of theengageable enlargement on the truss rods by which the' seafi'old isstrenthby whichtherropes or} cables are caused to wind properly on thedrums. I

The scafl'old includes one or more sections. 1 When a single section 15, used the operating mechanism for raisingfandj lowering the scaffold is, of course,jmounted on opposite ends of the scaffold section, as willbe hereinafter made apparent. Whena number of "sections are used, the outer ends of the end sections support thef operating mechanism. Each sectionof the scafloldincludes side members l' which are connected, by suitably adapted tofsuppor't' the platform 3. The abutting ends of the side members 1 are firmly united by coupling devices including enedand braced. "Fig. 1511 ajdeta'il per- 7 spective view illustrating one of the guides spaced members 2, thus "forming a frame clamp sockets 1 into "which the abutting 7 ends of the side members extend; The sockets 1 are composed of flexible metal, and have laterally extending flanges 5 through which the clamping devices ,6 extend. When the ends ofthe members 1 a'refplaced within the sockets. 4 the clamping members 6 are tightened so as to engage the connecting devices firmly with the abutting ends of both frames. By this arrangement the scaffold may be made of 'any'desired length. V Certain ofthesections supportstruts consisting of side members 7jhavi'ng'their up perend's attached to the'side members .1 of the frames, and theirlowerends rig dly or integrally united, The members 7 a on one side of the frame are connected with the members 7. at the oppositeside ofthe frame by a rodor shaft 8 which is .inclosed within a-tubular member!) between the lower ends of the member 7. diagonalbracellhas one end'fconnectedto theshaftl '8 adjacent to one end-thereof, and said brace extends diagonally upwardly and is connected to, the

side member 1 atfthe oppositefside of the frame; lThusa very strong strut "or frame islprovided for supporting thefshaft 8. The shaft 8 extendsthrough the member 7 and supportsat'each end thereof aroller 12. 'A truss rod or wire 13 is supported against the series of rollers 12' at each side of the scaflold, the opposite and upperends of said "L secured tothe end sections- 7 of -the scafi'old; as illustrated in'Figi 2. The l truss rods have: secured ,theretog at. int ry .15:

' engageabl'e bodies or enlargements'l l, Which clamped between the Wood blocks *1'5 the 16 and 1 7: and 'arentilized for; the purpose of clamping'and holding the ends of the "-tr'ussrods I lhe bodies'i'or enlargements 14 W are positioned' at such intervals that irr espectiveof thenumber of units in'the scaffoldgice'rtain offthe' bodies rorfenlargements forflthe bodies 'or enlargem nt 14a is obvr yous that very strong'connection is effected;

, 1 qo neaed .tobracketsll near the en'dsof the '5; 'endi'section's''offthejscafloldr.

V gofgjthe,rscafiold is rigidly r connectedv to a ahoiisin'g'ZO, in-whichawindlass roll 21 is l revolublysupported upon a rad os shaft 22;

The"lowerendsfof-ithe suspending ropes or I r cablesrxareconneotedto the rolls 2l', s o that ':S,vby joperating'saidjrolls the scaliold may be raised onloweiedat the will of the operator.

j ,The suspending s eed cable at each end :ofith'e'fsaffold passes'fthroug'h 'a guidet23 i 'Wliic'hisinthe formoi a plateislidably sup- P.portedupo'n a frod'23? and having a dependwbe 's zzfi upp rt above the i s o y arms'ei' whosel'ower ends areaffixed tothe shaft22i 'The'ropeorcable may'be passed "I throughanyilone ofth'e holes 25, s'i'nce the y members 26 are separably held together by '1 li ltsf'2 8,- so that by releasing theb olts 28 the lected ones ofl'the holes '25.

shaft 24.11135 a sprocket" iviieeriae 3nitheishaftgee bya? (stain 31, .s'o that the s r-# 24 will; e driven by the shaftaa A,- 7 worm: gear ,32 gisjattachedao each. ofiithe shafts 22, and ,said;.gears"inesh With-Worms.

5 be of lead orgotherssuitable materialn 'The enl'arg'e'ments" 14' are adapted to be latter being :clampedf together between an f inner supporting member ld "and an outer p Clam ingmemberJ'T. Releasable clamping bolts' 18s are passedthroughjthe members l; Wiillibe .engagedfbetween the elamping mem 3 'b'e'rsll5r Since the, latter are. composed o'f Wood whichgw'ill vyield and formjrecjesses- "The; supporting members 16 are PiVO'tally ';,Thiei'out r end 315 311 of the na has 3 projection 23? engaging the j'thre'ads' of ltliroug'h; guide holes infthe bracket menu fsu slpending ropes maybe moved to: any set- I which is conneeted with a sprocket 7 Wheel 7 The .arrangem 'j refvbluble shaft's BAf"jflllhus, flbyryolying 1 either ofthe shafts,34-"indiyiduallyfeither p 5 endof thescaifoldimay be raised or. lowered,

" arid ia revolving id sha --.i tly"bot l f scaifold may 'concurrently\ be" housings 2Q,;, and, th'e, inner 'endslof said shafts are'journaled in-independent bearings" '36. ,The inner end o feach' of the shafts'34 is-equipped with a sprocket Wheel 37 .7 Each 3 sprocket Wl16137 isdriven' by anindepend' I i ently operable'chain 38 passing aroundthe sprocket Wheels-37 and 'aroundthe dri ingi. I "sprockets 39. The sprockets; 39 'are sup-' sportedvon a sha-ft40 at: the upper endof af,

housing 41,- one 5 f;said' procketsee beingff fixed to the shaft and the other; being loose upon the shaft; The shaft may; be rotated: I if r y 3 '3 by a crankl42'in 'connectionwith said shaft,

; thus operating'the sprocket 39 hichis rigid onthe shaft. Alsoyjthe gloosely-"mounted a "crank' "43 ha ing 3 cluteh' member 1 44 in engagementwith ai clutch member i5 inte-.

'sp ktjm y be in p n y OP a e 23 1 gral' With the'hub .of' the" loosely mounted sprocket heeL'By operatingjbothof the f Y cranks la-a d 43 together both ofitheshafts" 34 will be simultaneously rotated; thus enabling the s operator. to raise [or lower both ends of the scaffoldat' his f opti'on." Also either o fthe' cranks 'may be independently operated thusfraising' or lo-wering-o-ne end of thejscaffol-d independently'of the opp site end; i-Thesprocket-chains 38 operate ag idle rollers 46 supported'between thewhels 37and39. .3

V The 'shafts B L are preferably arranged in separable sections so thatpthey'maybe ex tended or reduced in length "as; the: scaffold: is extended or reduced in length; j'lheabut v ting ends offthe shaftsectionsjjare connectj ed by s'leevesl adapted to 'pass' on to the ends of the shafts '34 and'hayingslots 4 8 g 1 adapted to' form interlocked engagement with pins 49 on the shafts 34,, so that one section ofthe shaft 34L Willfthus driv 'the connected sections. 5 The side members 1 a small truckineluding the flanged heels 7 H oifthe scafiold may- M be utilized asl rails for the wheels of a ma able seat 50.; The seat 50 islsupported upon iio orrollers 51 Whichope'rateupon the, u per: edges {ofjthe si membe s 1 of thesca old;

the flanges of the heels" operating against thus" preventing derailment ofthe seat;

flhus the operator is enabled tom0Ve"himi self along the 'scafiol'd without the neeessity respect to "the wormy g ars '32 1 1 that: thedeyice will be suppOrfi d i h' ry Q0 i e-M313 weight there ni wi u e sity of any independentilatching or looking rolls; s-lndeedgf'as theweightiis. increased 9 we e i k n' s b ty ei were b V a is fisf theinnersurfaces' of th'e s de members and i a 7 1 5s; device tofpre'Ven-t unwinding of the Windlass I} the scaffold dropping, due to the unwinding c of the supporting ropes.

1 It will be understood that I do not restrict myself'to specific features ofconstruction,

but a WVhat I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

I 1. A scaffold comprising a number of de- A tachably united platforms, a revoluble roll supported transversely at each end of the scaffold and in substantially the same horizontal plane therewith, a bracket'at each end of the scaffold above the rolls respectively, a single suspending rope ateach end of the scaffold having its lower end connected to the corresponding roll, said ropes being guided by said brackets, two independently revoluble shafts extending longic therewith, a rope arranged to Wind on each tudinally of the scaffold toward the center thereof for operating said rolls, and independent actuating, connections for actuating said shaftsindependently of each other.

2. A scaffold comprising a platform, a

revoluble 1-011 at each end of said platform in substantially the same horizontal plane roll to suspend the platform, a bracket above each roll through which the rope extends,

two longitudinal shafts supported bythe -pendently revoluble shafts for revolving for revolving said Gopiea of this patent may be obtained for said rolls, independently of each other, a

support intermediate of said rolls, a device in said support for operating one of said c of said rolls.

shafts independently of the other,* an additional device in said support for operating the other of said shafts independently of V the one previously mentioned,a single rope connected to and arranged to wind on each roll, a rigid guide bracket for the rope above the roll, and a movable guide for the rope adjacent to eachrolL I i. A scaffolds comprising a iplatform, a

roll supported at'each end of the platform in substantially the same horizontal plane therewith, two independentlyrevoluble longitudinal shafts for revolving said rolls independently of each other, gear devices entraining said shafts with said'rolls, respecfor operating said shafts independently or concurrently asdesired, a single suspending I rope connected with each roll, a rigid guide bracket for the rope above each roll.

' 5. A scaffoldcomprising' a platform, a roll at each end of saidplatformyin substantially the same horizontal plane therewith, longitudinal shafts geared with said rolls, means for operating said longitudinal shafts effectively to revolve said rolls to wind or to unwind, the supporting ropes,

a single rope for suspending each end of the platform and connecting with theccor responding roll, guide brackets for the ropes above; said rolls, and a device for guiding the winding oftherope on each In witness whereof, I have signed this as j tively, mechanism intermediate of said rolls specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses. r I a I I AUGUST STELZER.

' Witnesses: c I

I LPG. KINGSLAN D, BERNIE M. WATSON.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissionerof Patents, 7 i Washington, D. 0." I 

